Closure and mounting cap for hollow posts



July 22, 1 H. A. SOLLMANN 2,604,291

CLOSURE AND MOUNTING CAP FOR HOLLOW POSTS Filed April 16, 1948 m 209 INVEN TOR.

HENRY A. SOLLMANN Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT o-Fncs GLOSURE AND MOUNTING CAP FOR HOLLOW POSTS Henry. A. Sollinann, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April' 16, 1948, Serial No. 21,335

' '2 Claims. (-01. 248-353) This invention relates to a closure and mounting cap for hollow posts and more particularly relates to a cap which incorporatesmeansfor attaching hooks or-fasteners or the'liketo a hollow tube or post for use in attaching lines, pulleys, or other fixtures to anupper end of a post.

An object of this invention is to provide a cap for a hollow post which forms a closure for the post and also incorporates means for attachin a hook or the like to thepost.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide a cap of this class which can be formed, in a simple, inexpensive manner, as by casting.

- A further object of this invention is to provide means for attaching a hook or fastener to a post without need for auxiliary or transverse bores, tapping, or other machining operations.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for attaching a hook to a post, which hook may be of simple construction and easy fabrication.

The above mentioned and other objects may be attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective'view of a hollow post and cap constructed in accordance with this invention, the post and cap being shown in assembled relation with a plurality of hook fasteners.

Figure 2 is a perspectiveview of the cap shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 inFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, showing another cap constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one of the hook fasteners shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view showing another post and cap constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a fastener having a threaded end.

Referring now to the drawings and to Figure 1, a hollow post, which may be made of metal pipe, is indicated at 9. The post 9 has a central bore 16 and may be stepped in a socket l2 in ground l3. The post 9, shown in Figure 1, is intended for use to support a clothes line. A series of hooks or anchors [4 may be attached to the upper end of the post 9 by a plug l6 having a portion which fits into the upper end of the bore H).

Details of construction of the plug l6 are shown in Figures 2 and 3. The plug l6 has a 2 Y roughly mushroom shaped cap I! and a stem l8. The upper portion or cap I! may be of larger diameter than the hollow post 9 to form a cover over the post, while the stem l8 may be of smaller diameter to fit within the bore ID. The stem 1 B may taper slightly being of greater thickness adjacent the upper portion ll and being narrower at a lower end I9 for convenience in inserting the stem it! within the bore ID and in order to permit the stem [8 to be driven into the upper end of the post 9 to be held therein. As shown in Figure 2, edges of the lower end l9 may be beveled, as at 26, similarly for ease in inserting the stem 18 within the bore 16.

As shown in Figure 5, each-of the hooks or anchors M includes a rounded hook portion 2| and a side arm 22. The arm 22 and the hook' portion 25 may be connected by an arm 23 which meets the arm 22 at an acute angle 24. Each hook or anchor i l may be fabricated from heavy wire bent'to the shape shown in Figure 5. No machining or difiicult fabrication operations are required in their manufacture.

The plug l6, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is provided with lengthwise slots 26 in the stem I8 and with connecting substantially radial slots 21 in the under side of cap H. The slots 26 and 21 are adapted to receive the arms 22 and-23 of the hooks M; The arm 22 of a hook l4 may fit intoa lengthwise slot 26, and an arm 23 may fit into a radial slot'2'! so that the hook 2| may extend outwardly from the cap ll. Between the slots 26 the stem'may extend outwardly forming longitudinal ribs 28. The ribs 28 fit about the arms 22, and the stem l8 may have the approximate diameter of the bore I0 between the slots 26. As will be apparent, the cap I! may be equipped with a single pair of slots 26 and 2! or, as shown, a plurality of pairs of slots to receive a plurality of hooks H.

The plug l6 and the hooks l4 may be attached to the post It (Figure 1) by assembling the plug l6 and the hooks l4 and then driving stem I8 into the bore It. The hooks may be of the same diameter as the slots 26 and 21 or may be of slightly greater diameter than the slots so that the hooks can be held firmly against the inner wall of the bore I!) when the stem I 8 is driven into the bore [6.

In Figure 4 is shown a similar plug 1 26 which has a rounded upper portion or cap ill, a threaded stem H8, and slots I26 and I2? for receiving arms 22 and 23, respectively, of hooks l6. As will be apparent, the stem H 8 may be screwed into a bore of a post (not shown) having a threaded upper portion to hold the post and plug I IS in assembled relation with hooks.

The plugs l6 and I 16 shown in Figures 1-4 inclusive are constructed to receive the hooks I4 in which the arms 22 and 23 meet at an acute angle 24. In Figure 6 is shown a plug 2 I6 having radial slots 221 and vertical slots 226 which meet at a right angle. Fasteners 214 and 314 are held in an upper end of a hollow post 209 by the plug 216. As shown, the fastener 2|4 may have a side arm 222 and an arm 223 of a hook portion 22| which meet at a right angle 224.

Attachments having other configurations than that of a hook may be attached to the upper portion of a post in a similar manner. As shown in Figure 6, the fastener 314 may be equipped with an outwardly extending eye 29. The eye 29 may be used for attaching relatively permanent installations to the post. For example, a flag or a flag pole pulley may be attached to the post 209 for use thereof to support a flag.

In-Figure 7 is shown a further type of fastener 4| 4 which may be attached to a post by a cap constructed in accordance with this invention. The fastener 414 includes a side arm 422 and an arm 423 which meet at an acute angle 424 and which may be attached to a hollow post in the same manner as the other fasteners. The arm 422 may fit in the slot 26 so that the arm 423 extends outwardly from the cap 16. A free end 3| of the arm 423 may be threaded, as shown, for connection to appropriate fittings which may be supported by the post.

As will be apparent, the closure and mounting plugs'of this invention permit a hook, fastener, or other fitting to be attached to the top of a hollow post without need for transverse bores, bolts, and the like which have heretofore been required. The plug 16, for example, can be formed without machining in a simple casting operation, while the hooks 14 can be formed by bending heavy wire. No dies of a complex structure are required as would be the case if the plug, post, and hooks were formed as a single, integral casting.

When a plug-,post, and fasteners are mounted in assembled relation, the plug can hold the fasteners firmly without need for special connections. The slots 26 of the plug 16 can hold side arms 22 of books against the bore [0, while the slots 21 can hold the angled portions 24 and the arms 23 against the top of the post 9 so that the hooks 14 are restrained positively against up and down shifting and against rotation under a load on the hook portion 2|.

A permanent and effective closure of the upper end of the hollow post is formed by the same member or plug which holds the fasteners in place. Various modifications in construction will be apparent, and the invention is not intended to be limited by the foregoing detailed description or by the drawing but only as set out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a hollow metal post having an open top and a plug and anchor adapted to be frictionally held in the open top of said post. said plug having a tapered stem extending into the open top of the post and a cap overlying and closing same, said stem having arcuate grooves in its surface extending from the under side of said cap towards the lower end of the stem, said anchor having a cylindrical portion adapted to be received in said stem groove and another portion disposed under said cap and extending outwardly over the top of said post, said anchor and stem having a friction grip with the inside surface of said post when the stem is driven into the open end thereof.

2. A plug and anchor adapted to be driven into the open top of a hollow post and be held by friction therein, said plug comprising a stem and a cap, the cap being larger than the open top of the post and the stem being tapered from a point adjacent the base of the cap towards the end thereof and provided with an'arcuate groove extending lengthwise thereof, the underside of said cap being provided with a groove communicating with and extending laterally from the groove in said stem, said anchor having a cylindrical portion substantially circular in section and of a diameter greater than the depth of said groove, and another portion adjacent the underside of said cap and extending laterally therefrom, the laterally and outwardly extending portion of said anchor registering with the groove in the underside of said cap.

\ HENRY A. SOLLMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patentz UNITED STATES PATENTS Hyde Sept. 21, 1948 

